Helen Willoughby, BACP, NCPS
Helen Willoughby trained as a nurse before becoming a counsellor in 2003 and now brings 22 years of therapeutic experience.
About Helen
Helen Willoughby trained as a nurse before becoming a counsellor in 2003 and now brings 22 years of therapeutic experience. She works from a independent practice in the United Kingdom and helps people with concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, addictions and grief. Helen uses an individualised approach.
She listens and treats each person as a unique individual rather than following a one-size-fits-all method. Sessions aim to give people space to talk, to be heard, and to start making small changes that feel manageable.
Background and approach
Her background includes long-term work with issues around sexuality, gender, relationships and low self-confidence. She also supports people dealing with family strain, bereavement, eating and intimacy-related difficulties, and long-term health challenges such as chronic pain or serious illness. In practice she draws on a mix of approaches, including client-centred work, cognitive behavioural techniques, Jungian ideas and mindfulness.
That mix is used to match what the person needs in the room, whether that means practical tools, exploring feelings, or noticing patterns in thinking and behaviour. Sessions are offered in English and Helen is open to working with international clients.
She aims to be kind and straightforward, answering questions at the start and helping people take the next step at a pace that suits them.
Details from the counsellor's public professional profile · registration number listed
← Browse all counsellorsRegistration
| Body | Registration number | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| BACP | 384407 | November 2026 |
| NCPS | NCS23-02395 | June 2026 |
Registration details are as listed on the counsellor's public profile. You can check any number with the registering body.
Sessions and payment
Sessions are held online through our partner platform, by video, phone or messaging depending on the counsellor.
Cost Costs are shown on the partner platform before you commit. If cost is a concern, ask about reduced-fee options.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Helen lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Trauma and abuse
- Eating disorders
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- Body image
- Cancer
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hoarding
- Hospice and end-of-life counselling
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Visually impaired
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Ways of working Helen names
- Client-Centred Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Jungian Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor lists and does not check training records.
How Helen uses therapeutic methods online
Helen commonly uses client-centred work and cognitive behavioural therapy in online sessions. Client-centred therapy focuses on building a trusting conversation where the person feels heard and understood; it helps when someone needs space to talk through feelings and life changes. Cognitive behavioural therapy offers practical steps to notice and change unhelpful thinking and behaviour, which can help with anxiety, low mood, sleep problems and substance use.Finding the right approach is treated as a collaborative process. Helen will work with each person to decide which blend of talking, practical exercises or mindfulness suits their goals and circumstances. She adapts methods over time as needs change, checking in about progress and preferences throughout the work.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video calls are useful for a fuller conversational feel, phone sessions can fit into a busy day or use less bandwidth, short live chats can be helpful for check-ins, and messaging works for people who prefer writing or need to reflect between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, family life or different time zones.
Frequently asked
What kinds of problems does Helen help with?
She supports people with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, addictions, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, and difficulties around sexuality and gender.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her work is warm and person-centred, combining listening with clear practical techniques such as cognitive behavioural methods and mindfulness exercises.
How long has she been practising?
She has worked as a therapist since 2003 and draws on earlier experience as a nurse to inform her approach to care and support.
What qualifications does she hold and where is she based?
She is listed with BACP and NCPS and practices from the United Kingdom.
Can I work with her if I live outside the UK?
Yes, she accepts international clients and offers sessions to people living in other countries.
What formats are available for sessions?
Sessions can be arranged as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with Helen?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
More counsellors who work with Stress, Anxiety
See all
Kathryn Taylor
BACP
12 years in practice
Experienced counsellor with workplace insight
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship
- Self esteem
Lucy Nicolaysen
BACP
6 years in practice
Trauma-informed, attachment-focused counsellor
- Relationship
- Family
- Trauma and abuse
Matthew Bridge
BACP
3 years in practice
Compassionate counsellor for trauma and stress
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Relationship